


That One Time Barnes and Stark had to be Mature

by sophies_burntbacon



Series: Avengers Sick-fics [5]
Category: Doctor Strange (2016), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Avengers - Freeform, Doctor Strange - Freeform, Fever, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Other, Overworked, Prosthetics, Sick!Reader, Sickfic, Whump, Winter Soldier - Freeform, bucky deserves a better arm, exhausted, sick, tony's intern
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-10
Updated: 2020-08-10
Packaged: 2021-03-05 21:07:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,201
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25821874
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sophies_burntbacon/pseuds/sophies_burntbacon
Summary: After realising Bucky never got a new arm after Hydra, (Y/N) decides to make him one. Unfortunately, she doesn't want to tell Tony, her mentor, due to the pairs' rocky history and proceeds to overwork herself trying to finish the arm.Cue the Avengers freaking out and calling the only doctor they know.
Relationships: Bruce Banner & Reader, James "Bucky" Barnes & Reader, Natasha Romanov (Marvel) & Reader, Stephen Strange & Reader, Tony Stark & Reader
Series: Avengers Sick-fics [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1823893
Kudos: 76





	That One Time Barnes and Stark had to be Mature

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! Wow it's been a while since I posted here (or anywhere else).
> 
> Anyway, this is... after the Avengers have moved back into the Tower and tensions are high but they also know Strange? I don't know, it was a request, as always, feel free to come find me on Wattpad?
> 
> There are texts but I think AO3 stuffed them up... I have no idea how this website works, but enjoy!

James Buchanan Barnes was the proud owner of a metal arm of questionable quality. Yes, it did what it needed to (which was kill people) but now it was needed for other things.

Like living.

So (Y/N) took it upon herself to make one that was actually capable of doing things without hurting Bucky in the process. Because every time he moved that arm she saw a hint of a grimace or a wince because it dug into the very skin around his joint and the one time (Y/N) had had the pleasure of seeing where metal met flesh, she had wanted to throw up.

So he needed a new arm, and as Tony Stark's protégée, (Y/N) took it upon herself to make him one.

In secret because Tony was not Bucky's biggest fan. Or really his fan at all. Actually he kind of hated him and almost died to prove it so that was fun.

And it wasn't that (Y/N) didn't like Tony, she did! He brought her up from the Stark Industries internship program to work exclusively with him and she loved that and he'd given her a bedroom so when they accidentally worked too late she could stay over (that was laughably often) and he was just a really nice guy, an actual hero both inside the suit and out. Not to mention, he'd introduced her to the Avengers and always made sure she was invited to his numerous parties and Avenger's movie night.

But to give Bucky an arm! He needed a new one, and it was so obvious but because of his refusal to ask Tony and Tony's refusal to offer he had been stuck with that hunk of metal from Hydra for months now and he needed a new arm ASAP. So (Y/N) decided she would make and she'd make it well and as fast as possible.

And then she worked almost half a week non-stop because she could only work when Tony wasn't paying attention and for someone who pretended to be so aloft, he actually paid a lot of attention to her and everything she did and everyone else because he cared, which was a surprise to discover, honestly.

It was on Tuesday that Tony commented (Y/N) looked tired, Wednesday when he forced her to have a "power nap" that lasted for only two hours instead of Tony's intended eight and (Y/N)'s intended ten minutes (though he didn't mention he'd been hoping she wouldn't wake up for a while).

But then it was Thursday and (Y/N) had worked almost all night, every night, all week, so she promised to sleep for at least six hours but Tony had an emergency call and had to sprint off somewhere. And she really had been intending to follow through with the sleeping thing because she wasn't feeling great, running on about four hours sleep for four days as she was, but getting Bucky down to the lab was no easy feat, but Tony was out for once so this was her only shot and...

(Y/N) did not sleep. She'd sprinted to find Bucky, arrived feeling just how exhausted she was, and practically dragged the poor man away to her lab, begging him to help her. Clint had made a concerned-sounding comment that she looked tired but (Y/N) shook it off and resolved to drink more coffee and sleep once she was done or when Tony returned.

Not a very good resolution really.

On her seventh cup of coffee for the day at exactly 3:47 pm, (Y/N) began the final measurements for the Winter Soldiers' new arm that he needed so desperately. The old one bit into his arm and had led to irritated cuts that scarred and bled and looked really horrific.

"Don't... don't wear any arms until this is healed and when you do, make sure it's not this one." (Y/N) held up his old arm which she had been getting the measurements from. It was taking a lot longer than expected as (Y/N) was unfocused (possibly due to the fact that she hadn't been sleeping) and she had to use a tape measure instead of getting Friday's help.

Tony had set the bloody AI to shut down on the off chance (Y/N) didn't sleep so all she could do was turn off lights and close doors and use her computer which wasn't attached to Friday.

Which was fine, (Y/N) shouldn't get so used to Stark Tech anyway. She probably wouldn't work there forever, especially after this escapade.

And it was at the point where she was just putting the new arm onto Buck's socket, two hours after Tony had left, that the billionaire himself returned.

(Y/N) lacked the energy to focus on more than one task at that minute and didn't notice Tony come in or that Bucky stiffened but simply continued adjusting the arm. In fact, she was still absorbed in her task, unable to hear Bucky worriedly whispering her name when Tony came right up and tapped her on the shoulder.

This effect led to two things. (Y/N) screamed in surprise, whipping her head around to find her boss glaring but also looking confused and it also led to the screwdriver, which was currently jammed down Bucky's arm, to be twisted to the right.

While (Y/N)'s scream was short and from surprise, Bucky's was from pain. She quickly wrenched the screwdriver back and he looked alright again, so (Y/N) helped him take off the arm and then turned to Tony, who hadn't moved away the entire time.

"Hello," (Y/N) said, refusing to look up at the man. There was a pause and then, "I really meant to go to bed but I needed the measurements and everything and I just had to do it and I didn't think it would take long but I was going to sleep right after and-"

"You're rambling. (Y/N), calm down. You are going to sleep right now, got it? And when you wake up, I expect it to be at least tomorrow. We'll finish this," he made a gesture at the workbench covered in parts "another day." He was angry, she could see, but he was also putting it to the side right now.

_Why?_ She was just another intern and she'd been led to believe that disobeying Tony Stark led to being fired. She'd only been working with him a couple of months now and even though she kept reading bad things about the man, (Y/N) hadn't seen him do anything awful yet.

(Y/N) looked mournfully at her work (with the assumption she'd be fired before she was ever able to return to it) before nodding. She realised that at some point she had stood up and her chair was nowhere to be found.

"I think you need to sit down," Tony said placing his arm around her shoulders and guiding the young woman to the couch he kept in his lab. Bucky was still sitting in his chair ignored and forgotten by both scientists. When they reached the couch, (Y/N) collapsed right into it and whether she fell asleep instantly or passed out, the billionaire didn't know.

Tony, needless to say, was not happy that his very own protégée would drive herself to this state because she thought Tony would fire her if she told him. He turned to the Winter Soldier who had now moved closed to see (Y/N). "You can go now."

Bucky's glare came to face him. "She drove herself to this for me and I intend to help her get better. You should have realised this was happening! She's not used to going without sleep, this must have been a nightmare for her, why didn't you make her leave?"

Tony wasn't sure he'd ever heard Bucky say so many words at once. "You don't think I tried? Of everyone in this compound, you think _I_ wouldn't recognise sleep deprivation? I tried to make her sleep and I _made_ her leave but she worked on- on _your_ arm away from me so I thought it would be better to work near her so at least I could make sure she didn't hurt herself. She wouldn't stop working on this and she wouldn't even tell me what she was doing. Why didn't you tell her to take a break? She would've needed your help to do it! I had no idea she was working on a project like this," Tony said, his voice rising in volume until he felt sure that Barnes would actually step away.

"I didn't know she was making anything. I barely see her at all. I'm surprised she even noticed my arm," Bucky whispered.

Tony gave him a look that was too complicated and gone too fast to be interpreted. "Well, she's not going to wake up. Carry her to her room. She'll sleep better there."

Bucky nodded and gently placed (Y/N)'s limp body over his shoulder before following Tony to the mess that was (Y/N)'s room.

In theory, it was a very nice room, with framed prints along one wall above a desk that spanned the entire length of the wall, another wall featured a floor to ceiling window, the third wall had two doors (they led into a bathroom and a walk-in wardrobe) and a TV with a couch and small coffee table and the final wall held two floor to ceiling bookshelves and (Y/N)'s bed in the centre of the two.

And normally, (Y/N) was conscious of keeping it clean as she wasn't in her own home, but over the past sleepless week, she'd taken to putting things away "later" and unfortunately, later hadn't arrived yet so the room was not it's tidy self.

Tony took one look at the rumpled sheets and had Friday send up some clean ones before asking Bucky to place (Y/N) on the couch. The sheets weren't particularly dirty, just old and Tony felt that if (Y/N) was half as sick as she looked, she'd be spending a lot of time in bed for the next few days.

And (Y/N) did look sick. Pale skin and dark bruises under her eyes, chapped lips and... flushed cheeks?

That couldn't be good.

"Barnes, there's a first aid kit under (Y/N)'s sink. Get it for me." Because while Tony might dislike Bucky, he wasn't going to let his intern die for their feud. All the same... maybe he should get someone else down here... like Brucie. He was true neutral ground. Or maybe Natasha because (Y/N) wouldn't want to wear her work clothes it wasn't like he was going to help get her into pyjamas...

"Friday, get Bruce or Natasha down here. We need their help," Tony said as he grabbed the sheets out of the chute. He'd had one installed in every bedroom to allow things to be easily sent to individual bedrooms.

Bucky returned with the massive first aid kit and Tony rummaged through until he found a thermometer. After holding it above (Y/N)'s forehead for a couple of seconds, it beeped and he took it away to find she was running a mild temperature.

There was a grunt from behind Tony, who whipped around to see Bucky reading over his shoulder. "What?" Tony snapped.

"She's actually quite sick. Aren't you going to do something about it?" Bucky asked.

Tony frowned at the tone. Or maybe that was just Barnes' voice? "She needs rest, I'm letting her sleep. What more is there to do?" He looked up at the man and decided that he looked strangely unbalanced missing his huge metal arm.

Bucky shrugged. Yes, he'd spent his youth looking after Steve but Steve was never able to push himself to exhaustion the way (Y/N) just had because Bucky and his mother knew his limits, even if he didn't, and they made sure he always slept at the end of the day, so no, Bucky really had no idea what to do with the girl. His guess was as good as Tony's and getting (Y/N) into bed was his best bet.

Tony had just managed to get the new sheets on the bed (with some help from Bucky) without speaking to the other man (this was quite difficult to manage when working together and Bucky only had one arm) when both Bruce and Natasha arrived. Natasha sent all the boys outside as she dressed (Y/N) in the red and gold flannelette pyjamas Tony had bought her as a joke, before getting Bucky to lift her into bed.

"Friday, what's her temp?" Natasha asked quietly.

"It's 39.5°C. Friday's offline around (Y/N)," Tony said before the silence grew too long.

"That's kind of high, isn't it? Should she see someone?" Natasha asked, eyes sliding to Bruce.

The scientist in question shrugged, "I'm not a doctor like that... can we get Friday to notify us if she reaches 40°? Then we should call someone." Tony nodded and overrode his last program to the AI to make her do that if (Y/N) got any worse.

Then, with nothing better to do, the Avengers dispersed with the exception of Tony who elected to stay with (Y/N) on the off chance she woke up.

However it wasn't long before tony fell asleep too, as he was never running on enough sleep and he didn't wake up when Friday informed him that (Y/N) had reached 40°.

———

Bruce, Natasha and Bucky sprinted into the room to find it darkened, warm and silent.

A closer inspection found Tony deeply asleep on the couch and (Y/N) to be shivering in her sleep, a small frown creasing her face. There was a quick vote and it was decided that even though Tony needed the sleep, he'd be upset if (Y/N) got any worse and would want to be there for her.

Tony woke groggy and slightly sore but his confusion passed when Bruce told him what had happened. "Alright," Tony began, "I understand that (Y/N) is not only exhausted but also quite sick, and I understand that she's running a fever, but what I don't understand, is why _he's_ still here." And at these final words, Tony pointed at Bucky.

" _I_ am here because I need to be and because I want to be," the massive man growled. Tony didn't break his eye contact despite having to tilt his head backwards to see Bucky's face.

Bruce was quickly in between them, hand on both men's chests. "I think we need to be focusing on which doctor to call, not battling it out while (Y/N) is over there in pain."

The mention of (Y/N) jolted the two men and they focused on Bruce.

"Who do we call? You have doctor friends right?" Tony asked, enthusiastic as always when it came to Bruce's achievements.

"Well sort of-" he began.

"What about that magician, Doctor Ssss," Natasha clicked her fingers, unable to drag his name from her mind.

"Strange," Bucky said in that growl that Tony was beginning to think was just his voice, "his name is Strange."

"Yeah well telling us his name is weird isn't helping," Tony said, shooting a glare at the man.

"Tony," Natasha cut in, typing something on her phone, "his name is Doctor Strange."

A pause.

"Oh, he's an actual doctor too! A surgeon! We'll get him in. Bruce, he gave you his personal number right?"

The scientist nodded and a text was quickly sent out.

_Sorry to bother you, we need some  
help, are you free to come to the  
compound right now?  
B_

_Sorry Bruce, can't do. In a  
meeting right now.  
S_

"Here, send me his number, I'll get him. You're too polite Brucie," Tony said, pulling that fake grin he used when he was stressed onto his face.

Bruce shrugged and sent him the number. It was probably an unimportant meeting, right? And anyway, (Y/N) was more important.

_You're a doctor, right?_

_We need you. It's urgent._

_Who is this? S_

_Tony Stark. We need you  
at the compound. Urgently._

I'm in a meeting S

_This is more important._

_Fine. I'm leaving my office now S_

"I didn't know he had an office," Natasha said.

"Maybe he still sees patients. Maybe his hands got better. He'll probably be here in 45 minutes," Bruce said.

But Tony was a billionaire and he was used to getting things when he wanted them. He started texting Strange again.

_How far away are you?_

_Should I send a helicopter?_

_Or a jet?_

_I'm on my way S_

_How far_

_Getting there. I only just left S_

_Go faster_

_No S_

There was a brief pause in the conversation, then,

_What do you need me for, anyway? S_

_My intern is sick_

_I'm not coming S_

_Please! You have to! She's  
got a fever of 40°_

There was no reply.

"Shit," Tony hissed.

"What?"

"He's not coming."

There was a chorus of why's and one "Tony you idiot!"

Before he could explain, there was a spark and in the darkness of (Y/N)'s room, it was rather obvious. At least, it was to Tony.

"What was that?" He asked.

"Don't try and change the subject you, find another doctor now!" Natasha growled, refusing to look. Bucky's glare was also fixed on Tony and Tony had fixed the assassin with one of his own, so only Bruce saw the next shower of sparks.

"Tony, what is that?"

Now all four Avengers were watching as the sparks began to gain shape and grow circular.

"Of course. He's a wizard. Why would he bother driving here when he can do this?" Tony said aloud, cursing his own stupidity.

And then Doctor Strange stepped through the hole from New York City.

"For the record, I am a surgeon and I don't do house-calls," he said as he stepped through, cape flowing behind him.

"You really came all dressed up, huh," Natasha said watching the wizard.

"Why are you here then?" Bucky asked, ignoring the fact that if the offended this semi-stranger, he could turn right around and walk out.

"Because I like (Y/N) because she's a nice girl."

"I'm hearing that a lot at the moment," Tony grumbled as the doctor turned towards the bed.

Strange opened another portal and brought out a blue box filled with all sorts of gauze.

Tony snorted, "she's not bleeding, Strange. She's running a temperature."

"Yes, and a standard kit in New York comes filled mostly with gauze and needles, Stark because everyone around here gets shot, however, it also has a thermometer because knowing you, you're probably running some sort of practical joke on me so I can't really trust you and you're equipment now can I?" Came the snarky reply.

Stark muttered something under his breath but allowed the good doctor to work and take (Y/N)'s temperature without any comment.

"How long did you say she's been sick again?"

"I'm not sure that's she's sick so much as exhausted. She just hasn't been sleeping much. Or at all really," Tony replied, heat rising in his cheeks as Strange continued asking questions he couldn't answer.

(Y/N)'s temperature hadn't risen in the time since Tony had originally texted Strange which they all took to be a good thing although it hadn't been very long since the texts. Strange said to call him if anything else changed but aside from that, all they could do was let her rest, hook her up to an IV with meds if she didn't wake up in another three or four hours (who knew how long she'd sleep for?) and "maybe remove a couple of those millions of blankets you've thrown on her Barnes."

With nothing else to say, Strange left and the present Avengers, who were all painfully used to bedside vigils, decided to take turns watching her. Bucky was to be first (Tony wasn't pleased) followed by Bruce, Natasha and then Tony.

Natasha and Bruce had tried to orchestrate it so that Tony and Bucky wouldn't see each other but Tony had insisted. Natasha was to put in an IV when her shift started, which was one of the perks of living in a compound for people who were constantly getting beaten up.

———

There were... words. People were yelling at each other. But they were so far away that (Y/N) couldn't bring herself to care.

But she was a little cold...

She drifted away into the darkness again.

Someone new was speaking from a world away. What was going on? (Y/N)'s mind drifted trying to connect the voice to memories but nothing surfaced, her exhaustion running deeper than her bones and incapacitating her mind. (Y/N) quickly found she didn't care, even when a more familiar voice said something that could have easily been her name. What she did care about, was that she was so cold, and why couldn't they make it warmer?

It was like someone had heard her thoughts because suddenly, a slight weight on her eased and some of the warmth left her. (Y/N) heard a quiet sound which through the haze of her mind, she realised to be a groan coming from herself. What idiot hadn't realised she was basically on the verge of hypothermia over here?

But she found her ability to care dissipating as her mind drifted away again into the blissful, dreamless darkness.

———

There was a quiet, periodic sound near her. Every couple of seconds she heard a soft... something.

As (Y/N)'s eyes opened, she came to realise that it was Bucky, snoring softly next to her, his body leaning to the right as it was unbalanced due to his missing limb ((Y/N) was pleased to notice that he hadn't put on his old arm again). She was tempted to wake him but decided not to.

Surveying her surroundings, (Y/N) came to realise she was in her bedroom at the compound with the curtains drawn but allowing in a soft red/gold right from outside. She sat up, a small jolt of dizziness passing through her. She sat on her bed, forced her body to relax, and waited for it to pass before realising there was also an IV in her arm.

"Friday?" She whispered into the space.

_"Yes, Miss (L/N)? Mr Stark has enabled me to be used around you now,"_ the robot replied at the same volume (Y/N) had said its' name. She nodded.

"What time is it?"

_"7:05 pm. You've been sleeping for approximately 49 hours."_

(Y/N) nodded and heard a sleepy murmur behind her.

"(Y/N)? What're you doin'?" Slurred the Winter Soldier.

"I'm not really sure. What about you?"

"I'm supposed to be watching you." He sounded more awake now, (Y/N) thought.

"Why?"

"That's just a thing we do."

"Why?"

"I'm not really sure. Maybe it's so when you wake up you're not alone."

"Oh."

There was silence for a moment and then the door burst open and Tony practically flew in.

"Oh my god (Y/N)! I've never been so worried don't do that again you scared the living daylights out of me!" He yelled all in one breath.

Y/N cocked her head in a look of confusion. "When was I wearing these Iron Man pyjamas?"

Tony let out a sigh. "Natasha. Not Bruce or me or Barnes."

(Y/N) nodded, figuring the Tony was done. "Right... well, thanks for watching me sleep, that's not really weird at all. So can I just rip this thing out of my arm, or...?"

"The sleep thing is just something we do. And we weren't here all the time. Just most of the time. When we were bored," Tony said, moving around the bed to remove the IV needle form (Y/N)'s arm as some of his usual snark returned to cover the worry in his voice.

(Y/N) grinned. "I'm sure. Now I'm gonna get dressed and Bucky and I can finish-"

"If you say finish the arm I will actually send you right back to sleep," Tony cut in.

"But I'm fine," (Y/N) said, frowning at the spot where the needle had been.

"Well, that's too bad. Anyway, I finished it."

"You what?"

"Finished it. So now you have nothing to do and can stay here and rest for a bit longer. Or you can come sit on the couch upstairs. We're getting takeaway soon. Or I can bring you something when it gets here?"

And not long after, (Y/N) was sitting on the couch with the Avengers, eating takeaway provided by Steve and his motorbike.

And of course, soon after she realised she was the last one awake with almost all the Avengers asleep around her.

_Thanks for looking after  
the Avengers and I  
(Y/N) ___

____

__

_No problem. I was doing it_  
for you anyway.  
S __

__


End file.
